Joe dart .. Ernie ball jazz !

[Yahboy]

After watch the Youtube clip, JD II sound more forward to Stingray-ish voice to my ear. I still prefer Fender GL Sig Jazz bass more.

 

[N4860]

After watch the Youtube clip, JD II sound more forward to Stingray-ish voice to my ear. I still prefer Fender GL Sig Jazz bass more.

I'm looking forward to hearing the Low End Lobster review of it soon to hear better sound clips. What EBMM has released so far doesn't really show much.

 

[Lesfunk]

There’s only one left on the music man site. They sold them all, or will have by later today

 

[andare]

Jamerson used his tone knob, so that's good enough endorsement for me. You do you.

First time hearing that. I always read he turned up both knobs. Source?

 

[bench]

First time hearing that. I always read he turned up both knobs. Source?

Thought so too. Everything dimed, di signal to board...

 

[bench]

for those of you complaining about the price, just make your own. I did. And to my own specs. and its not a one trick pony.
View attachment 4672924

Too versatile for me...

 

[bass6strng]

First 100 gone.

 

[BigBigGuy44]

It appears EBMM knows it’s target market much better than most of TB thinks it does.

 

[bench]

It appears EBMM knows it’s target market much better than most of TB thinks it does.

Crazy isn't it...

 

[Snert]

It appears EBMM knows it’s target market much better than most of TB thinks it does.

Because it sells out a limited edition of 100, many of which I bet end up as collector's closet queens?
To my POV, if they'd made it a standard production item and it sold steadily and well for years, that would prove your point.

 

[BigBigGuy44]

Because it sells out a limited edition of 100, many of which I bet end up as collector's closet queens?
To my POV, if they'd made it a standard production item and it sold steadily and well for years, that would prove your point.

Read through this thread. Based on all of the "overpriced", "ugly" and "Joe who?" comments, one would expect EBMM to sell maybe five or six, not all 100.

 

[bench]

Because it sells out a limited edition of 100, many of which I bet end up as collector's closet queens?
To my POV, if they'd made it a standard production item and it sold steadily and well for years, that would prove your point.

I think his point is proven well. Music Man knows how to sell production models as well as limited runs... That's the whole point. They know that this isn't the next stingray, so they don't market it as such.

 

[Bonecat]

I coughed a bit at the price, but they’re all gone, so good for them

 

[Madcity Fats]

First time hearing that. I always read he turned up both knobs. Source?

Yeah, I think you're right. I'm confused about a thing I read about how he dialed back the treble on his Ampeg.

Blaming COVID brain. I should just quit while I'm behind.

 

[Gizmot]

But that's exactly the point that EBMM made : due to Covid / global supply disruption, they're just sticking to StingRay Specials at the moment (which is fundamentally what the Tim C, DarkRay, Joe Dart shortie, and BFRs have been based on).

This Joe Dart 2 is actually a Caprice, but with two of the inline humbucker pickups (instead of the split humbucker in the neck position), and different branding on the headstock.

This actually gives me hope that we may, at some point in the future, see a version of the Caprice return to the fold.

Unfortunately, it seems that no matter what EBMM try to do, and no matter what their customers claim they want, when it comes to ponying up the cash, the only bass that sells reliably is the StingRay.

Hopefully when the world rights itself, they will think about doing periodic runs of Cutlass, Caprice, and Sabre basses (it really grinds my gears that I was holding out for a Cutlass in tobacco burst & maple fretboard, when the bass got discontinued - but the Cutlass guitar is still available, in that configuration).

There are other things I'd like to see too, but they run a tight ship, and have a much better idea of the realities of their business than any of us do.

There is no doubt that the pandemic has affected every business, but other instrument companies are operating semi-normally. Why can't EBMM? Without knowing specifically how things are structured, they should be financially strong from the string and accessory business and should be able to do whatever they think is prudent. The point I was trying to make before is that if they came out with the Cutlass, Caprice and other models that were priced competitively, they would create new customers and make their brand stronger.

I loved my Caprice, but I wouldn't have paid the price for a new one (essentially the same price as a StingRay). Passive and single pickup basses simply aren't as flexible as a full active design - and should be priced accordingly.

 

[Snert]

Read through this thread. Based on all of the "overpriced", "ugly" and "Joe who?" comments, one would expect EBMM to sell maybe five or six, not all 100.

I never for a second doubted they'd sell them all, though it took less time than I thought. Maybe a week was my original idea.

I know who Joe Dart is and think he's a fine player. I also don't think the bass is ugly, plain maybe, but not in a bad way. As someone else posted, an average schmoe could assemble essentially the same with Warmoth and other brand name parts for $1100, then $2700 is waaay too pricey for me and I have no doubt that EBMM's cost to the door is way less than the Warmoth build would cost. But they sold them all quickly. I have no problem with EBMM making a ton of money on them, but we're all still entitled to give our opinion of value and worth, even if we're not a buyer. I feel the same re FCS stuff too. I had a customer recently who saw my equipment rack and told me he had just got a FCS Strat at a very high price. In my hands, I thought it was meh, and I doubt blind I would have guessed the sale price. But the owner loves it and I'm glad. The guy is a tradesman and knew what he wanted and worked and saved for it so it's not my place to judge really - I know I am here, but he'll never hear me say anything bad about it.

 

[BigBigGuy44]

I never for a second doubted they'd sell them all, though it took less time than I thought. Maybe a week was my original idea.

I know who Joe Dart is and think he's a fine player. I also don't think the bass is ugly, plain maybe, but not in a bad way. As someone else posted, an average schmoe could assemble essentially the same with Warmoth and other brand name parts for $1100, then $2700 is waaay too pricey for me and I have no doubt that EBMM's cost to the door is way less than the Warmoth build would cost. But they sold them all quickly. I have no problem with EBMM making a ton of money on them, but we're all still entitled to give our opinion of value and worth, even if we're not a buyer. I feel the same re FCS stuff too. I had a customer recently who same my equipment rack and told me he had just got a FCS Strat at a very high price. In my hands, I thought it was meh, and I doubt blind I would have guessed the sale price. But the owner loves it and I'm glad. The guy is a tradesman and knew what he wanted and worked and saved for it so it's not my place to judge really - I know I am here, but he'll never hear me say anything bad about it.

There is a value proposition on everything we buy and unfortunately, branding adds (or subtracts depending how you look at it) a lot to it. I'm not a Joe Dart fan. The dude can play for sure but his genre isn't one I'm generally interested in. What I am interested in is a stripped down passive jazz style bass. This specific model has that plus the quality and customer service EBMM is known for. Is it worth the extra $1,600 over your Warmoth example? On paper no but the branding does provide a great deal of intangible value.

 

[Snert]

I understand what you're saying, but even the EBMM brand name resale vs a Warmoth build, in this case anyway, would still leave you better off fiscally with the Warmoth, unless you flipped it quickly.

What I am interested in is a stripped down passive jazz style bass.

But it's not a JB. EBs own site says they're split coil, ie linear Ps.

 

[SleepyShark]

Because it sells out a limited edition of 100, many of which I bet end up as collector's closet queens?
To my POV, if they'd made it a standard production item and it sold steadily and well for years, that would prove your point.

It seems Music Man is going with another strategy entirely.

I know this is getting a "production run" - but even that will likely be limited and not pumped out in numbers like Stingray Specials are.

They seem to be opting for a strategy similar to fashion brands - offer a core lineup of products, but "drop" limited quantity offerings at a premium.

A couple of angles they've approached:

• Darkray - Limited silver edition that sold out very quickly, but offered a standard black version going forward. Doesn't seem to be getting produced in huge numbers but is very sought after, seemingly.
• Tim Commerford's 4 models - Sold out quickly, even at $3k straight from their site. No longer available for purchase, but some dealers still have stock here and there.

All of the limited run models have a live-updating ticker that shows how many are left, encouraging a FOMO purchase. Think what you want about it, but it's clearly working.

 

[Snert]

It seems Music Man is going with another strategy entirely.

All of the limited run models have a live-updating ticker that shows how many are left, encouraging a FOMO purchase. Think what you want about it, but it's clearly working.

No, I get all that, but they're LE not production, at least in the small batch like this JD and the DR were. EBMM fans, collectors and Dentists will likely be most of the owners of these small batch runs. Good on them if it makes them $ and keeps them in business. I have no interest in owning an EBMM product, but the instrument world would be worse off if they went bankrupt.

I also think they'll need to keep the LE runs to maybe once a year lest they tire out their potential base of purchasers.